Black market pharmacy bust highlights widespread immigrant practice

Tuesday

Aug 28, 2007 at 12:01 AMAug 28, 2007 at 10:04 PM

The arrest of a man whom police say was selling Brazilian prescription drugs without a pharmacist's license out of his Hollis Street store Saturday has highlighted a widespread practice among the local Brazilian community.

By Liz Mineo

The arrest of a man whom police say was selling Brazilian prescription drugs without a pharmacist's license out of his Hollis Street store Saturday has highlighted a widespread practice among the local Brazilian community.

Framingham Police arrested Carlos Araujo, 51, after two narcotics officers who were walking by Globo Express at 40 Hollis St. noticed an ``out of the ordinary'' transaction as Araujo sold an item out of a cooler.

Police found in the cooler a large selection of medications with names in Portuguese such as Bactrim, Amoxicilina, Pseudophederine, and several types of birth control pills, including Diad Levanorgestrel (the morning after pill).

Several Brazilian immigrants interviewed at stores on Hollis Street Tuesday said they buy medications under the table at some Brazilian shops because they are not familiar with American medication, lack insurance, don't speak English, and cannot afford the high prices of medication in American pharmacies.

``People don't know where to go now,'' said a woman who was buying clothes at a store next door to Araujo's shop and would not give her name. ``I bought medication for headaches there. He was doing a service to the Brazilian community.''

Lina de Jesus felt the same way.

``People sold medication to help their fellow men and women,'' she said as she ate lunch at a nearby restaurant. ``They didn't see it as something bad, and neither did the community.''

Finding someone who sells Brazilian medication on the black market is common, said Jesus. Until recently, she said, many shops in the area sold Brazilian medications, but after the police fined a store for selling medication without a license, fewer and fewer shop keepers are taking the risk.

Still, medications such as antibiotics, painkillers, birth control pills and weight-loss medicines are in great demand among local Brazilians. Many of those medications can be obtained at pharmacies in Brazil without a prescription, said Percy Andreazi, a Brazilian physician who works as a mental health counselor in Framingham.

``People resort to the black market because many here are uninsured and medications are expensive,'' he said. ``People call their doctors in Brazil and some who travel there bring the medication here. It's a dangerous situation and completely illegal.''

Police said they also found at Araujo's store dozens of fake Massachusetts identifications with a state seal on them. A woman who didn't want to be identified said she heard the owner sold fake IDs for $50, but others who knew Araujo said he was selling IDs that anyone can buy over the Internet - documents that are not valid for working or driving.

``He's a nice guy and very hardworking,'' said Eliana Miranda, who owns a clothing store on Hollis Street. ``I didn't know he was doing something illegal. He brought his kids to the store sometimes.''

Yesterday, the small shop, sandwiched between a Brazilian church and a clothing store, was closed. Two men who spoke Spanish peeked through the store window and saw soda cans, plastic bags and old newspapers on the floor. When they were told the police had arrested the owner, they declined to be interviewed and left quickly.

Liz Mineo of The MetroWest (Mass.) Daily News can be reached at 508-626-3825 or lmineo@cnc.com.